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Yuta and Patricio Olympics

Men's Basketball's Watanabe and Garino to Represent GW at Olympics

7/23/2021 11:51:00 AM | Men's Basketball

GW alumni are only two A-10 men's basketball alums in the Tokyo Games

When Patricio Garino ('16) and Yuta Watanabe ('18) don the respective colors of Argentina and Japan at this year's Olympic Games in Tokyo, they will be doing so representing not only their countries, but the George Washington University and the entire Atlantic 10 Conference as the only two conference representatives competing in men's basketball this summer. 
 
GW is believed to be one of just 11 schools in the country that has multiple former players competing in one of the Games' most high-profile and glamorous sports, along with the likes of Duke, Kentucky, UCLA, Virginia, Arizona, UConn, Georgia Tech, Seton Hall, Washington State and Saint Mary's. 
 
"To have Yuta and Patricio there competing on the world's biggest stage for men's basketball is validation of everything we're trying to do here at GW," said Men's Basketball Head Coach Jamion Christian. "They are lifelong members of the GW family and embody the international flair and opportunity of coming to school in the World's Most Powerful City. Best of luck to Yuta and Patricio as we watch them Raise High globally."
 
Watanabe scored 1,460 points for the Buff and Blue in his four years in DC and earned A-10 Defensive Player of the Year honors as a senior in 2018. The Japanese Language and Literature major now competes for the NBA's Toronto Raptors, where he enjoyed a career-best season in 2020-21. He'll be making his Olympic debut representing the host nation.
 
At GW, Garino was a multi-time A-10 All-Defensive Team member and an All A-10 Second Team pick as a senior while pouring in 1,550 career points, good for 11th all-time. The Sport, Event and Hospitality Management major has been competing for Argentina for more than a decade, with an appearance at the 2016 Rio Games, and he has made multiple stops over five seasons as a professional, including stints with the NBA's Orlando Magic and San Antonio Spurs.
 
Japan and Argentina are scheduled to meet in Olympic play on Sunday, Aug. 1.